Getty Image / Steph Chambers
Bill Belichick was the oldest head coach in the league when he and the New England Patriots parted ways following last season. But, that doesn’t mean that Belichick wasn’t typically on the cutting edge, at least for a while.
But, there were some changes to the modern game that Bill Belichick didn’t necessarily like or adapt to. One of those was the approach by some teams to go all-in on analytics for their-in game decision-making.
After not getting another NFL head coaching job during the offseason, Belichick joined the sports media this world. And, he’s been a complete natural at it. Between his YouTube channel, appearances on the Pat McAfee Show, a panelist role on Inside the NFL, and regular interviews on the Manningcast, he’s all over the place.
If you weren’t convinced by the 6 Super Bowls he won as a head coach and two more as assistant, every time he talks in one of his new roles, it becomes obvious that Bill Belichick is a football genius. He sees things that even longtime football watchers simply never see, and he can articulate what he’s seeing clearly and concisely.
On his Monday appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Bill Belichick discussed why just simply following the analytics may not always be the best move.
"The issue for analytics people is that they want data..
The problem I always had with that is that it isn't our team & we don't know who the opponent was..
I always took into consideration the matchup of the game & I think you have to find a balance"
Bill Belichick #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/yteboey2La
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 7, 2024
He’s got a point. Oftentimes, just looking at the analytics completely ignores the flow of the game and other relevant factors.
While he probably will be back to coaching next year, I’m really enjoying Belichick’s media era.